1. Looking at Lawmaking

2. Click the pic for the Federalism Facts of Congress!

3. Levels of Government Government Federal State Local
In our federal system of government, the government shares powers between three levels:

4. Branches of Government
Federal
State
Local
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Each level of government is then divided into three branches of government.
The legislative, executive, and judicial branches all have different powers, responsibilities, and requirements.

5. What does the legislative branch do?
Who serves in the Legislative Branch?
Congressmen/Congresswomen
U.S. Representative
U.S. Senator
Legislative Branch
Makes the law
Congress
U.S. House of Representatives (435 Members)
Florida Legislator
Florida Representative
Florida Senator
Florida
Legislature
U.S. Senate (100 Members)
Florida House of Representatives (120 Members)
Commissioner
Councilman/Councilwoman
Florida Senate (40 Members)
City Commission/Council
County Commission
School Board
*Number varies according to population

6. What does the executive branch do?
Who serves in the executive branch?
President
Vice President
Cabinet Members
Executive Branch
Enforces the law
The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Cabinet Members
The Florida Cabinet's role is to advise the Governor and is made up of the Attorney General, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Commissioner of Agriculture.
Federal - The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.
Florida -
Mayor
Processes and policies for the office of the mayor will vary by city. Research your local government to find the role of your mayor!

7. What does the judicial branch do?
Who serves in the judicial branch?
Justices of the United States Supreme Court
Appellate Judges
Trial Judges
Judicial Branch
Interprets and applies the law
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal
U.S. District Courts
Justices of the Florida Supreme Court
Appellate Judges
Florida Supreme Court
District Courts of Appeal
Trial Judges
State Trial Courts
Circuit Courts
County Courts

8. On your worksheet, you will need to correctly identify each branch of government, the role of the branch, and the titles/offices of government officials for each level of government. For the judicial branch, you will need to identify the levels/types of courts.
Who Does What?

9. Interpret and apply the law
Who Does What?
Branch of Government
Role of this branch
Branch of Government
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Role of this branch
Make law
Enforce law
Interpret and apply the law
Federal
Congressman/
Congresswoman
U.S. Senator
U.S. Representative
President
Vice President
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal
U.S. District Courts
State
Florida Senator
Florida Representative
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Florida Supreme Court
District Courts of Appeal
Local
Councilman/
Councilwoman
County/City Commissioner
Mayor
Circuit Court
County Court

10. Looking at Lawmaking
How are laws made in the legislature?

11. Conversation Starter:
Individually write 2-3 sentences for each question. In your group, discuss and compare your responses.
What did Locke say would happen if there was no government or social contract?
What would our country be like without laws?
Check for understanding: students should hypothesize what a country without laws would be like and discuss Locke’s “state of nature” where a society without rules would lead to chaos. Citizens of a society enter into a social contract when they consent to be governed and obey the laws. This shows a need for government and laws to govern society.
Discuss student responses to check for their understanding of the need for laws in a society and the function of the legislative branch in the creation of laws.

12. The Hierarchy of Law
United States Constitution
If there is a conflict between a lower law and a higher one, the higher one “prevails”.
Acts of Congress
The U.S. Constitution is the “Supreme Law of the Land.”
Florida Constitution
Highlight the hierarchy of law. The US Constitution as the highest law in the land.
State Statutes (laws)
City and County Ordinances

13. Constitution of the State of Florida
Where does it come from?
Where does Congress get the power to make acts?
Where does the Florida legislature get the power to make laws (statutes) for the state?
Where does the local government get the power to make ordinances?
Constitution of the State of Florida

14. Click the pic to see a Fact of Congress on how a bill becomes a law!

15. The Bill Begins
Laws begin as ideas from individual citizens, groups, or Representatives .
What kinds of ideas important to Florida would a congressman/congresswoman bring up during session?
Immigration
National security issues
Healthcare
Human trafficking
Tax laws
Minimum wage
NASA funding

16. The Bill is Proposed
When a Representative has written a bill, the bill needs a sponsor.
Once a bill has a sponsor and the support of some of the U.S. Representatives, it is ready to be introduced.

17. The Bill is Introduced What is a committee?
In the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper—a special box on the side of the clerk’s desk.
The bill clerk assigns it a number that begins with H.R.
A reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees.
What is a committee?

18. Committees
Groups of Representatives or Senators who are experts on topics such as agriculture, education, or international relations
Some Congressional Committees:
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Education and the workforce
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Ethics
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans' Affairs

19. The Bill Goes to Committee
When the bill reaches committee, the committee members review, research, and revise the bill before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor.
The bill may be sent to a subcommittee if more information is needed. Here, the bill is closely examined and expert opinions are gathered before it is sent back to the committee for approval.

20. The Bill is Reported
When the committee has approved a bill, it is sent—or reported—to the House floor. Once reported, a bill is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

21. The Bill is Debated
When a bill is debated, Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it.
Then, a reading clerk reads the bill section by section and the Representatives recommend changes. When all changes have been made, the bill is ready to be voted on.

22. The Bill Is Voted On
There are three methods for voting on a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:
Viva Voce (voice vote): The Speaker of the House asks the Representatives who support the bill to say “aye” and those that oppose it say “no.”
Division: The Speaker of the House asks those Representatives who support the bill to stand up and be counted, and then those who oppose the bill to stand up and be counted.
Recorded: Representatives record their vote using the electronic voting system. Representatives can vote yes, no, or present (if they don’t want to vote on the bill).
If a majority of the Representatives say or select yes, the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

23. The Bill is Referred to the Senate
When a bill reaches the U.S. Senate, it goes through many of the same steps it went through in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on.
Senators vote by voice. Those who support the bill say “yea,” and those who oppose it say “nay.” If a majority of the Senators say “yea,” the bill passes in the U.S. Senate and is ready to go to the President.
Note: Senators vote by voice through either role call or voice vote. A role call is where each Senator is called on individually give a vote. A voice vote is when a question is stated and Senators vote by “yea” or “nay” and it is decided by the judgment of the presiding officer.

24. The Bill Is Sent to the President
When a bill reaches the President, he has three choices. The President can:
Sign it—the bill becomes a law.
Veto (refuse to approve) it —the bill is sent back to Congress.
Do nothing —if Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days. If Congress is not in session, the bill does not become a law.
Under the Constitution, presidents may respond to a bill passed by Congress in one of three ways. They may sign it, veto the bill by returning it to Congress, or do nothing. If they do nothing, the bill becomes law after the passage of ten days, excluding Sundays. If Congress adjourns sooner than ten days after the bill passed, however, the bill dies, under the “pocket veto” provision. If the president vetoes a bill, Congress can still enact it into law by repassing the measure with two-thirds majorities in both chambers. Such overrides are relatively rare, however; from 1789 through 2002, only 106 of 2,551 presidential vetoes were overridden, about 4 percent.

25. Is a veto the end of a bill?
Not quite…
If the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate still believe the bill should become a law, they can hold another vote on the bill.
If two-thirds of the Representatives and Senators support the bill, the President’s veto is overridden and the bill becomes a law.

26. Using Handout B and the index cards provided, you will be creating puzzle study cards on how a bill becomes a law on the federal level.
On the side with lines, summarize the steps in the process. On the opposite side, illustrate the step of the process.
Put It In a Puzzle

27. Bill Proposed Committee
Idea and Drafting
Idea from citizen, group or Representative is drafted into a bill. .
Bill Proposed
The bill needs a sponsor and support. Once this happens, it is ready to be introduced.
Bill Introduced
A bill is introduced when it is placed in the hopper. It is assigned a number and the bill is read to all Representatives.
Bill is Debated
Representatives discuss the bill and explain their stance on it. The clerk then reads the bill , accepts edits, and then finalizes the changes.
Bill is Reported
Once approved by a committee, the bill is sent, or reported, to the House floor.
Committee
Committee members review, research and revise the bill and then vote on whether it should be sent to the House floor. May be sent to a subcommittee if more information is needed.
Vote on Bill
The bill is then voted on. A majority is needed for the bill to pass the House. If it passes, it is certified by the Clerk and delivered to the Senate.
Bill Referred to the Senate
The bill goes through the same processes as in the House. It is reviewed in committee and reported to the Senate floor where it is voted on.
Sent to the President
If the President vetoes the bill, the Legislature may override his/her veto by a 2/3 vote.
LAW
If the President does not veto the bill, the bill becomes law.

28. How does a bill become a law in Florida?
Let’s look at the process…

29. IDEA DECISION BILL DRAFTED 1ST READING 3RD READING 2ND READING LAW
From citizen, group or legislator .
DECISION
The legislator decides if the idea should be a bill.
BILL DRAFTED
Bill written by staff and assigned a number..
1ST READING
Published in Chamber Journal.
Consideration by Opposite Chamber
Same process as original Chamber.
3RD READING
Final reading of the bill. The bill is voted on and may die if it does not receive a favorable vote.
2ND READING
Bill is read on floor of Chamber and may be placed on Special Order Calendar by vote.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT
/MEETING
Bill is reviewed, voted on, and can be placed on calendar or allowed to die in committee.
Remind students that the lawmaking process at the federal and state level are similar. Students will need to look for key words to help them distinguish between federal and state lawmaking processes.
For example: Sent to the President for approval. - Federal law-making process
Example 2: Sent to the Governor for approval. – State law-making process
Return to Original Chamber
Final versions of the bill must be identical in both Chambers.
GOVERNOR CONSIDERATION
Governor can sign the bill into law, allow the bill to become law without signing, or veto the bill.
GOVERNOR FINAL ACTIONS
If the Governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature may override his/her veto by a 2/3 vote.
LAW
If the Governor does not veto the bill, the bill becomes law.

30. In summary, this is how a law is made:
IDEA
From citizen, group or legislator .
BILL DRAFTED
Bill written by staff and assigned a number.
Consideration by Opposite Chamber
Same process as original Chamber.
GOVERNOR CONSIDERATION
Governor can sign the bill into law, allow the bill to become law without signing, or veto the bill.
GOVERNOR FINAL ACTIONS
If the Governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature may override his/her veto by a 2/3 vote.
LAW
If the Governor does not veto the bill, the bill becomes law.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT
/MEETING
Bill is reviewed, voted on, and can be placed on calendar or allowed to die in committee.

31. Check For Understanding
What are some important words to look for in this question?
Which answers can we eliminate?